Victory! Transgender Woman Wins Insurance Coverage for Sex Reassignment Surgery

[Shana A]

Victory! Transgender Woman Wins Insurance Coverage for Sex Reassignment Surgery

http://transgenderlegal.org/headline_show.php?id=384

October 3, 2012 – We are thrilled to announce that we have resolved a claim on behalf of a transgender woman who had been denied health insurance coverage for sex reassignment surgery. Ida Hammer, a 34-year-old New York City resident, applied for pre-authorization for male-to-female sex reassignment surgery in July 2011. MVP Health Care denied her claim on the grounds that the surgery was "cosmetic" and therefore was not covered under the policy.  MVP refused to alter its position and denied two internal appeals, even after TLDEF submitted extensive evidence in support of Ms. Hammer's claim.

Only after TLDEF threatened to file a lawsuit did MVP reverse its position and agree to cover the doctor-recommended procedure. MVP stated in its letter authorizing the surgery that "the requested surgery is medically necessary."

"I have been undergoing treatment for gender dysphoria for the past five years.  My doctors determined that surgery is the only adequate treatment for my condition," said Ms. Hammer. "My insurance company should not be second-guessing my doctors.  I'm relieved that it is finally treating me fairly and covering the health care I need."

[barbie]

Yes. The claim is very logical. It is not for cosmetic purpose. It is for medical treatment. Then why not all of the insurance companies around the world cover it?

Barbie~~

[Jamie D]

This is certainly a step in the right direction!

[Cyndigurl45]

good for her, I would also add she is very pretty

[Shana A]

Queens woman trapped in man's body wins battle with insurance company that balked at paying for her sex change operation
Ida Hammer, born a man, has lived as a female her entire life

By Corky Siemaszko / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Wednesday, October 3, 2012, 12:17 PM
   
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/insurance-pay-sex-change-article-1.1173606

Ida Hammer, who is living as a woman though physically still a male, will have her sex change operation paid by her insurance company after winning a lengthy legal battle.

A Queens woman trapped for 34 years inside a man's body won a battle with an insurance company that had balked at paying for her sex change operation.

Ida Hammer said she was ecstatic after MVP Health Care caved and hoping to have the surgery as soon as possible.

"I never really was a boy," she said Wednesday. "From the earliest age I always knew I was a girl, unfortunately that's not how other people saw me."

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Victory in Sex $wap
Insurer will pay 20G

    By TODD VENEZIA
    Last Updated: 5:02 AM, October 4, 2012

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/queens/victory_in_sex_wap_eSdm6QZBSuJ6AuAKSPE5tK

A Queens transgender person — who says that for 34 years she's been a woman trapped inside a man's body — has won the battle to get a health-insurance company to pay for her sex-change operation.

Ida Hammer, 34 — who is already living as a woman — can finally make the full transformation to female after getting MVP Health Care to foot the bill, which could be in the $18,500 to $20,000 range, she and her supporters said yesterday

"I feel great. I'm really excited," she told The Post yesterday. "It would have been depressing if I had been denied."